Officials highlighted IsItFrame — the service offered by the National Auto Auction Association through AutoIMS — is now available as an on-demand, system-integrated Web service.
With time savings in mind, AutoIMS created this new Web service offering to allow auction management systems and Internet-connected CR-writing applications to automatically retrieve an answer from the IsItFrame database.
Commenting on the enhancement to the service — which continues to be offered for free to NAAA member auctions — AutoIMS chief information officer Venkat Krishnamoorthy said, “This new Web service will not only offer process automation to make inspectors’ lives easier, but also further one of our missions: to empower the remarketing industry with better data.”
These enhancements to the service now make it possible for auctions to automatically retrieve frame-type and quarter panel information for large batches of vehicles all at once, rather than the existing, manual, one-off process.
NAAA chief executive officer Frank Hackett added, “The association continues its commitment to adding value to the industry through technology and data-driven tools designed to increase transparency and ultimately protect buyers, sellers and auctions through all phases of the vehicle lifecycle.”
AutoIMS member auctions can contact customer service to obtain information on connecting to the new Web service. Other interested parties may contact NAAA to learn more.
Auto Data Direct on Tuesday launched DropClaim.com, a secure, paperless compliance tool for California tow operators and businesses taking possession of towed vehicles, which could include units in the repossession process.
The company explained that in January, new state requirements became effective as a result of passage of California Assembly Bill 1222. The new law requires specific documentation and record keeping between a tow company and any business such as a dealership, body shop or mechanic that takes possession of a towed vehicle.
DropClaim.com is a Web-based mobile app that can allow affected industries to comply with the new law using their laptop, smartphone or desktop computer while securely protecting any private information included in the transfer of a vehicle.
“ADD is constantly looking at legislation affecting the industries we serve,” chief executive officer Jim Taylor said. “Our focus since the company was founded in 1999 is to provide effective solutions to both industry and government to comply with regulations at the state and federal level.”
Taylor explained that when AB 1222 was signed into law, his team began looking for a way to address the tow industry’s No. 1 concern of having to transfer a wrecker operator’s driver’s license number to the claimant.
“Not only were we able to develop a process of encrypting that protected information, we can now offer a paperless and secure system for both the tow (Drop) company, and the receiver of the vehicle (claim) which archives the transaction electronically,” he said.
Taylor went on to mention the new law specifically requires tow operators to document information about each vehicle towed, the towing company, the tow truck drive, and the drop-off location. Businesses receiving the vehicle must affirm receipt of each vehicle and maintain the documentation once the vehicle is claimed.
ADD added that willful violation of the new law can result in a fine of up to $2,500, up to three months in jail, or both.
DropClaim.com can offer the tow or wrecker company a secure process to protect personal data, the ability to populate the required information in a “drop document” automatically, and create an Express Claim code that is easily transferred to the claimant by simply scanning a QR code with a smart phone.
Cost to the tow company is $10 per month plus $1 per driver registered.
For the claimant, the tool allows for verification of vehicle information prior to confirming receipt of the vehicle, allows for paperless receipt of the vehicle through the QR code, and can provide an online manifest of claimed vehicles for a monthly fee of $10. Claimant services, without the manifest, are free.
For more information on this innovative solution for compliance of California AB 1222, visit DropClaim.com or call to speak with a customer service representative at (866) 923-3123.
Recall Masters has launched a Rental Car Fleet Monitoring Service that provides daily alerts about vehicle recalls.
SMART Reports help rental car agencies speed up the identification and prioritization of grounding and repairing any recalled vehicles, minimizing downtime and maximizing consumer safety.
According to Christopher Miller, president of Recall Masters, car rental agencies are increasingly held liable for renting out vehicles that have open recalls.
“With rising litigation, there is a real need for car rental agencies to have solutions in place that not only mitigate risk to corporate and franchise operators, but further protect the consumer,” he said.
“While the consumer is in search of speed and value from a car rental agency, it should not come at the expense of their safety. Car rental agencies want the same outcome and now have access to an effective and efficient solution that complements both their business operations and consumer initiatives."
The service is fully scalable, giving rental car agencies of any size — from one location to major chains — a turnkey solution to check their entire fleet of vehicles for recalls across major brands.
The information is organized and presented in a user-friendly format. The decentralized managed app ensures rapid response of any recalled vehicle management at the local level. It enables rental agencies to monitor a nationwide fleet of vehicles by automatically distributing reports, simultaneously to each store.
DRIVIN, a service for dealers that utilizes data to help sell, source, acquire and deliver quality used vehicles for its partners, announced on Thursday that it has raised an additional $7.5 million in equity capital.
Launched in mid-2015, the Chicago-based automotive start-up has now raised a total of $17.5 million in funding. The latest round was led by Columbus Nova Technology Partners and Lightbank.
Executives explained the investment will help DRIVIN continue the aggressive expansion of both its products and dealer partners, as the company focuses on disrupting one of the largest industries in the U.S. economy.
“DRIVIN is the first-of-its-kind to supply unique information and true marketplace buying power to its dealers when trading used cars,” said Eric Lefkofsky, initial investor and chairman of the board.
“The company focuses on data-driven technology, proprietary inventory analysis, and personalized and experienced customer service,” Lefkofsky continued. “These strategies help dealers more efficiently buy and sell vehicles to create their optimal lot and quickly increase profitability.”
DRIVIN currently works with more than 500 buying dealer partners nationwide and sources inventory from more than 25,000 dealer rooftops. With the many technological advancements happening on the consumer side of automotive in the last three years, DRIVIN is focused on helping dealers be more strategic about the inventory on their lots.
“We feel extremely fortunate to have the support and guidance of our investors and board as DRIVIN continues to deliver valuable, differentiated services to our dealer partners," said Kayne Grau, co-founder and chief executive officer.
“By combining data and technology with human capital, we are uniquely positioned to change the way dealers move metal on their lots — first helping them sell aged inventory and then helping them replace those units with strategically selected vehicles that meet the needs of their target audience and their dealership brand position,” Grau went on to say.
For more information on DRIVIN, visit www.drivindealer.com.
Allied Finance Adjusters now has a mobile app that’s designed to help member repossession agencies better connect with finance companies.
Designed for Android, Apple and Microsoft mobile phones and tablets, the organization indicated this is a “true” app that has been developed and built specifically for Allied Finance Adjusters.
“This is not an out-of-the-box, cookie-cutter app with website links,” AFA officials said while highlighting 10 features of the app. Those features include:
1. Search nationwide database for bonded, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau compliant repossession professionals by company or owner’s name, city or ZIP code by miles
2. View member’s compliant documents, bond, insurance and location
3. Instant access to repossession requirements by each state
4. Access your client login portal to manage your approved AFA members
5. Connect with AFA’s social media pages
6. Easy access to AFA news and upcoming conventions, meetings and special events
7. Live membership counter
8. Automatic screen rotation
9. Manage your AFA push notifications
10. Everything Allied Finance Adjusters
For more details, go to alliedfinanceadjusters.com.
Car dealer review website DealerRater announced the release of the iOS version of the DealerRater for Dealers App.
The app, part of the company’s CertifiedEssentials reputation-management program, helps dealership employees sell more cars by connecting them directly with shoppers who are deciding where to purchase a vehicle.
The DealerRater app facilitates online conversations between buyers and sellers early in the process, allowing them to gain trust and encourage showroom visits.
With a notable decline in showroom visits, dealerships have to think about first impressions.
“We developed an app that helps salespeople sell more cars,” said Gary Tucker, DealerRater chief executive officer. “It’s an extension of a dealer’s showroom floor, opening a new digital channel that connects shoppers already engaging with employee profiles on DealerRater.com and individual salespeople. Because of these connections, consumers can now enter a dealership with confidence, knowing exactly who they will be working with and the buying experience they can expect.”
Dealer sales and service personnel can now receive qualified leads around the clock. And employee page updates — photo additions, product specialty notations, trainings completed, certifications attained — can happen with just a few clicks.
On vehicle delivery day, salespeople and their customers can document the occasion with the integrated LotShot “snap and share” feature that helps employees secure additional customer reviews.
Store managers benefit from increased visibility and oversight into sales activity. Built-in leaderboards, which rank salespeople by number of reviews and review ratings, give supervisors a new way to encourage employees to keep their employee pages up-to-date and realize the power reviews have to drive new business.
Law enforcement officials last year recovered more than $122 million in vehicles equipped with the LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System, according to the company’s seventh annual Vehicle Theft Recovery Report.
While the average value of vehicles recovered in 2015 was $10,287, thieves continue to target vehicles valued over $30,000.
LoJack attributes this to a phenomenon it dubs the “Connected Vehicle Thief,” one who is likely to be part of large, organized crime ring and has an incentive to target higher value vehicles that can dismantled for parts, re-sold, or shipped to overseas black markets.
And with a “smarter” thief comes more advanced tactics, such as acquiring and copying smart keys, using stolen credit reports and false identities to illegally finance vehicles, the use of mystery devices to unlock vehicles, and vehicle cloning.
“Our vehicles have become an extension of our digitally enabled lives and carry sensitive personal information about us. Each time a vehicle is stolen, it impacts the owner far beyond the loss of property,” said Pat Clancy, vice president of law enforcement for LoJack.
“While theft tactics are advancing, law enforcement officials and dealerships who partner with LoJack are dedicated to recovering vehicles in a timely fashion and minimizing the impact on owners.”
In fact, last year more than 90 percent of vehicles equipped with the device were recovered.
Other highlights from the report:
—The top vehicle models valued at more than $30,000 recovered in 2015 included Land Rover Range Rover, Ford F-Series, BMW X-Series, Chevy Camaro and Audi Q-Series.
—The 10 most stolen and recovered models equipped with the LoJack system were Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, Acura Integra, Nissan Altima, Ford F250, Ford F150, Nissan Maxima and Chevy Tahoe.
—For the seventh consecutive year, California, Texas and Florida ranked as the states with the most thefts and recoveries. Rounding out the Top 10 were New York, New Jersey, Arizona, Maryland, Georgia, Massachusetts and Nevada.
—The most expensive vehicle stolen and recovered was a 2011 Bentley GT, valued at $138,481.
—The oldest vehicle recovered was 1956 Ford Fairlane.
— The most common vehicle colors stolen and recovered (in order of most stolen) were black, white, gray, silver and blue.
The 2015 LoJack Vehicle Theft Recovery Report comprises data provided by 28 states via Nlets as well as California law enforcement, and is specific to stolen cars, trucks and SUVs equipped with the LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System that were recovered between January and December 2015.
LoJack is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CalAmp.
Dealertrack announced on Monday that its Online Registration System solution has received the exclusive endorsement of the Automotive Dealers Association of Indiana (ADAI).
Dealertrack’s automated solution can allow a dealer to process title and registration transactions at the dealership in real-time, boosting efficiency and increasing client satisfaction. The ADAI is recommending the Dealertrack product as the preferred digital registration solution for its more than 360 member dealers.
“We are very excited about this partnership because Dealertrack is a pioneer in registration and titling services, and our members can derive significant benefits from their solution,” ADAI executive vice president Marty Murphy said. “By processing both title and registration transactions for their car buyers at the dealership, our member dealers save their customers a trip to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.”
Dealertrack has more than 20 years of registration and titling experience, and manages more than 45 million vehicle titles nationwide. Dealertrack is one of the only companies that can offer a comprehensive solution to meet the broad range of dealers’ registration and titling needs, including in-state and out-of-state registration and titling tools, as well as expedited title release services.
“Our online solution helps Indiana dealers address an often overlooked part of the car buying process and an important contributor to a customer’s overall satisfaction with the dealership experience,” said William Rountree, vice president and general manager of registration and titling at Dealertrack.
“This endorsement by the ADAI highlights our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that help transform every aspect of the car buying process, including registering vehicles and processing titles,” Rountree continued.
For more information about Dealertrack’s Registration and Titling Solution, go to this website.
TradeRev has crossed the pond.
The company announced a new pilot program in the United Kingdom with the Arval UK division of Arval Group.
The latter is an international specialist in full-service auto leasing.
“Arval is a widely recognized and respected global brand based in Europe, and our partnership with their UK team presents a tremendous growth opportunity for TradeRev,” TradeRev chief executive officer Mark Endras said in a news release. “Through the partnership with TradeRev, Arval will now list selected vehicles upstream on TradeRev’s app.”
Arval supply chain director Joel Lund said: “Leveraging an innovative and fresh mobile technology like TradeRev will help generate greater efficiencies and introduce new possibilities for our customers throughout the UK.
“We are always looking to explore new channels to provide diversity in the distribution of our vehicles to the used vehicle market, and TradeRev, with its proven track record of success in North America, is the perfect fit for this need,” Lund added.
TradeRev, of which ADESA has a 50-percent stake, was launched in Canada before making its way to the U.S. in September.
It has since ramped up activities in the U.S., and will now be moving into its first market outside of North America.
Revenue- and retention-building prepaid maintenance software Fidelis PPM acknowledged that more than 100 companies came to this year’s NADA Convention & Expo to marketed products and services aimed at making fixed operations more efficient and profitable.
Fidelis PPM said that the big question coming out of the dealer gathering in Las Vegas was this: did dealers grasp onto the better ideas to help them eliminate costs, improve service volume, and increase customer retention?
“If not, that’s a big miss,” Fidelis PPM president Ryan Williams said. “Dealers should already be investing in solutions that create new revenue streams and then hold on to it.”
Williams said that products such as prepaid maintenance programs meet criteria such as monthly proven return on investment and 20-percent service growth.
“When programs like this can deliver a three-year retention average of 68 percent and $70 per RO upsell, their contribution to a dealership’s profitability can be enormous,” he said.
Williams went on to suggest that dealers should ask the following three questions when considering products or services that are being offered:
• Does your retention program drive consumers to your shop?
• Is the customer experience it delivers positive enough, so they come back again?
• Are there accountability tools baked into the solution to measure the lift in customer-pay dollars for each visit, so program ROI can be proved?
Fidelis PPM recapped that the dealers Williams met with at NADA were actively gauging vendors’ service-profitability ideas. Principals and managers were also seeking advice about solutions that didn’t require them to reinvent how their service department operates.
Williams emphasized that programs that enhance existing processes, such as prepaid maintenance plans that drive buyers back to the selling dealership, can help retain customer business and keep service bays occupied. Such plans can produce:
• 85 percent first-year retention, 65 percent each of the following two years
• $70 customer-pay upsell per repair order
• On average $1,105 in customer-pay service business a year with you, for the majority of the six years consumers own their vehicles today
“Every decision a dealer makes about an investment factors in at least two objectives: How will it streamline operations to remove waste and cost, and how will it drive service volume, retention, and thus revenue,” Williams said.
“If a dealer isn’t evaluating purchases for their ability to achieve both goals, dealers leave potential revenue on the table. That’s not the way to situate the dealership for leaner days ahead,” he went on to say.
Williams pointed out that most any vendor’s service offering, especially from those marketing prepaid maintenance and related programs, must offer the dealer measurability.
“Most programs cannot substantiate their retention promises, and dealers putting faith in such plans have misplaced hope,” he said.
Fidelis PPM is an authority in helping dealers retain customers through process-driven prepaid preventive maintenance retention programs. These programs can drive consumers into participating dealers’ service departments. Deep reporting tools can provide dealers with detail-rich accountability metrics.
